The present invention relates generally to mechanisms used in animated figure toys and, more particularly to a mechanism used in an animated figure toy for the purpose of delaying movement of the arms of the toy in a controlled predetermined manner.
Toy figures having posable or movable articulated limbs are very popular with children. Some animated figure toys incorporate movable limbs such as arms which a child may move or position in order to increase play options. Spring-actuated mechanisms are typically used to facilitate movement of a toy's arms. Such a mechanism is shown and described in U.S. Pat, No. 3,264,779 issued to Bonanno on Aug. 9, 1966. This patent discloses the use of a coiled helical braking spring in combination with a torsion spring for the purpose of delaying movement of the arms of an animated toy. The helical braking spring impedes (delays) rotation of a shaft attached to the arms by contracting around a drum mounted on the shaft and frictionally slowing down rotation of the shaft.
Controlled, delayed movement of the arms of a figure toy may be better achieved by using a mechanism which incorporates a governor for accurately delaying movement of the arms. Since delayed movement of the arms of such a figure toy may be carefully controlled by the governor, additional play options are made available. The figure toy may be posed in different positions while the arms are slowly moved or used in conjunction with the toy's head. For example, one of the arms may be used to slowly move a hand of the toy through hair attached to the toy's head. Also, an arm may be controlled by the governor so that the toy's hand slowly moves upward and tilts back the head of the toy. This results in a particularly dramatic effect when the head of the figure toy is tilted back as the hand slowly passes through the toy's hair, increasing the enjoyment of the child playing with the toy. Accordingly, there is a need for a mechanism used in an animated figure toy which incorporates a governor for accurately delaying movement of the toy's arms in a controlled predetermined manner.